A study of medical college faculty perceptions of the value of two groups of patients admitted to a teaching hospital 15 years apart suggests that changes in patient populations resulting from economic changes may have diminished the educational value of medical inpatients in academic settings. (MSE)

Dental students were videotaped presenting a child's case presentation to a parent. Students who viewed a model videotape demonstrated a significant improvement in performance from their first presentation. Students who evaluated their own tape showed no significant improvement. (Author/MLW)

The father of an infant with motor neuron disease describes his early experiences with medical professionals. He urges that parents see the medical community as assistants in the process of raising a special needs child, and urges that the medical community see parents as full partners. (JDD)

A study examined the attitudes of 227 faculty and 148 house physicians toward the value of touching patients and their relationship to sociodemographic and job characteristics, previous exposure to and concern about human immunodeficiency virus infections, and attitudes toward glove-wearing. (MSE)

It is argued that the medical school curriculum should include content on jurisprudence to empower physicians to use the law and their legal colleagues to serve patients and promote public welfare. Developing practitioners' skills and changing attitudes are seen as more important than imparting information about particular doctrines and laws. (MSE)

Examines interpersonal communication in physician-patient interaction and physician-patient research models; suggests application of these models to librarian-patron interaction. Discusses human characteristics that affect interaction, the need for patient and patron satisfaction and compliance with instructions from interactions, and assumptions…

Examination of interaction between hospital staff and nonnative speakers of English touches on institutionalized models of interaction and attempts to characterize typical exchanges at various points during patient processing. Results show that communication difficulties can arise both intra- and cross-culturally, primarily from differentiated…

Five part-time family physicians attended a course in the patient-centered clinical method over three months. The small group format using role playing and videotaped examples emphasized understanding the patient's point of view and doctor-patient collaboration. (SK)

A survey of 111 medical schools found 12 provided no formal teaching in death and dying, 30 provided 1 or 2 lectures in the first 2 years, 51 taught it as a module of a larger course, and 18 offered it as an elective. A Yale School of Medicine seminar uses patients as teachers. (Author/MSE)

This study proposes an alternative approach to research on the acquisition of sociocultural competence, focusing on a speech event rather than a speech act, and drawing on the concept of scripts as developed by cognitive psychologists. (51 references) (JL)

Community pharmacists (n=176) were surveyed concerning their responses to four ethical dilemmas potentially resolvable by deception and their attitudes about deception in general. Results were compared to a similar study of physicians. The professions appear to have similar standards regarding use of deception, using it principally in the…

A discussion of the need for better research on women's health looks at significant gender differences that are factors in health and health education (longevity, poverty, use of medical services, doctor-patient interaction, and women in dentistry) as well aspects of research methodology that need improvement. (MSE)

A national medical school survey found 141 oaths given in 1989, indicating some offered a choice. Analysis found few demonstrated respect for patient autonomy; none included veracity. It is concluded that the oaths failed to address the changing physician-patient relationship and affirmed traditional principles of nonmaleficence and beneficence.…

A technique used to teach removal of foreign bodies from eyes uses freshly slaughtered calves' eyes in which metal particles are embedded at different depths. The approach develops both mechanical skills and problem-oriented evaluation and management of patients. Preparation and presentation of workshops using the technique are also discussed.…

Team physicians who establish rapport with athletes and have basic knowledge about Hunan Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) are uniquely positioned to counsel athletes about HIV transmission. The article explains what issues the team physicians should discuss and encourages physicians to maintain an open forum.…